We are now heading down a centuries-long path toward increasing the productivity of our natural capital - the resource systems upon which we depend to live - instead of our human capital.
Paul HawkenRead
How is it that we have created an economic system that tells us it is cheaper to destroy the earth and exhaust its people than to nurture them both? Is it rational to have an pricing system which discounts the future and sells off the past? How did we create an economic system that confused capital liquidation with income?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote questions the rationality of an economic system that prioritizes immediate profit over long-term sustainability for the planet and its inhabitants.
In this thought-provoking quote, Paul Hawken critiques the existing economic paradigm that values short-term gains over the health of the environment and the well-being of people. He challenges the logic behind a system that allows for the degradation of natural resources and human lives while posing a pressing question about the ethical implications of our economic decisions. By highlighting the disconnect between current practices and future consequences, Hawken encourages a reevaluation of how we measure value and progress in society.
Themes
EconomyEnvironmentSustainabilityFutureValue
In practice
Example use cases
In a sustainability conference to emphasize the need for better economic practices.
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At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product.
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How much harm does a company have to do before we question its right to exist?
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We have the capacity to create a remarkably different economy: one that can restore ecosystems and protect the environment while bringing forth innovation, prosperity, meaningful work, and true security.
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